The Last Chance
by SpecialAgentZiva
Summary: It was nothing but her own selfish wants that brought her to create this. Yet, it meant so much to her, and it could mean so much more in the end. - What if you had a chance to change the past? Who would be saved, and who would die as a result?
1. Hurting Him

**A/N: Look, another Resident Evil fic. So uncharacteristic for me. :) But I hope you enjoy this. By the way, I don't own anything. Oh, and I realize that it might be a bit confusing, but all will be revealed in time. Uh, just a warning, it jumps between past and present time. You should be able to figure out what has already occurred and what she's trying to change.**

Fear.

There's nothing in her mind but fear and panic and an overwhelming sense of dread. She dreads what she knows will happen, and even more so she dreads having to try and stop it. She's lucky she remembers anything, that everything has fallen perfectly into place. And she'd ever-so-lucky that it's still there, at the edge of her mind, the adrenaline and power burning as she walks.

Her heart almost skipped a beat when she saw him again, and she realized it was real. All of it. He was actually there, walking as he had been years ago. Everything was so real, so perfect, from his bright blue eyes to the way he walked. And, for a second, she felt as though she was living a dream.

This would be her last chance, she knew. The last chance to save him and the others she'd failed to save.

* * *

Cold, shining metal made up the table in front of her. Beakers were strewn across it, some broken, others intact. Multiple needles were amongst them, some of which containing a fluid and others not. Half-light was granted only by the hanging lights that had long since been reduced to half power. Completing the scene, there was Alice.

Her hair fell tangled on her cheeks, and her face was showing only concentration and frustration. Her hands shook as she gently reached for one of the needles, her breath hitching as she pressed the cool metal of the needle tip onto her skin. If all went well… it would work. It was hardly a cure - in fact, it was nothing but her own selfish wants that brought her to create this. Yet, it meant so much to her, and it could mean so much more in the end.

She pressed the needle tip into her skin and pushed it into her veins, crying out at the pain as the fluid escaped into her bloodstream. The familiar sensations burned at the edge of her mind, urging her to leave it all behind, to try and correct past mistakes. With another cry, she took the needle out of her arm.

* * *

Behind them, the doors began to close, and her heart beat faster. Shadows were cast across them, throwing them into near darkness, but she forced herself to ignore it and remain calm. This time, she knew better. She knew better than to stop, and she wouldn't allow herself to break down. They'd walk straight out the front door if she could.

She took the steps two at a time, throwing a glance backward to make sure that he was still there. He glanced at her strangely when she did so, but she only offered him an encouraging smile. They'd make it out… they'd have to. When the main room came into focus, she barely had time to think before turning towards the front door. For a second, her companion looked confused, but changed directions to suit her.

It was cold outside, she noted instantly, and they had no car. Biting her lip, she turned behind her. "We have to run. We have to get out of here. Fast."

"There's time-"

"No, you don't understand, Matt. Umbrella's right behind us. We have to keep going."

"Oh… okay." Confusion was still written on his face, but it was quickly replaced with pain. He collapsed, clutching at his arm as it throbbed and sent jolts of pain up and down his arm. Alice's eyes flickered in fear, knowing full well what would come next. But she couldn't let that happen. She wouldn't. He couldn't die, not again.

She was on the ground beside him in a heartbeat, keeping her eyes locked with his whenever she could. Quickly, she opened the case containing the antivirus and extracted a needle, looking at it for only a second before turning back to him. And as she prepared to plunge the needle into his arm, a pair of hands grabbed for him.

* * *

"Are you sure this is going to work?" her voice was desperate, calling out for answers as her mind began to cloud. She raised a hand to her head and pressed hard, trying to push away the images flashing through her mind and the inability to think clearly. Had she only created something that would, in the end, be the death of her?

"The formula should work," came the answer. "But it has not been tested and may contain highly dangerous side affects. Even if it does not affect you, there is a chance that you may drastically alter the events that have brought you here. You may never meet those you did and you may alter the lives of those you were closest to before their deaths."

"I know, I know," her voice was fading as she talked to the invisible AI. Her head began to hurt and she pressed her hands even harder into her forehead. Something didn't feel right… this couldn't be right. The pain was becoming unbearable, and she could no longer think as the images flashed before her eyes even faster.

Unconsciousness overtook her, but not before the last coherent thought entered her mind: what if she changed things so drastically that she would cause the death of Claire's entire convoy, and hundreds of other innocents?

* * *

"No!" She was screaming now, the fear in her eyes matching the fear in his. She dropped the needle back into the case of the antivirus and kicked forward, knocking away the hands of an Umbrella worker. Her eyes narrowed menacingly at the person, though their face was hidden from her. There would be more, she knew, but she could hardly pick up Matt and carry him.

With a cry of panic, she grabbed his hand and pulled him to his feet off the grass. He cried out in pain at the sudden movement, squeezing his eyes closed in effort to block out the pain. There was no second thought needed, she decided as she picked up the needle once more and pressed it to his skin. Nothing to it.

And yet, she was afraid of hurting him. He was already hurt enough - what if the antivirus only had negative affects? Her eyes met his again and the pain in them, the urgency, propelled her on. She pushed the needle tip into his skin and tried her best to block out the sound of his quiet suffering.

There were more men streaming from the house, each in white coats. Her eyes widened and she dropped the needle, no longer caring about the antivirus. Matt looked behind him as well as he forced himself to breath normally, and the danger of the situation hit him hard and fast. He took her hand and began to run, pulling her behind him. His arm still ached, screaming in opposition as he pulled her with him. Without a car, they'd have to run… but how far?

How far could they make it, with so many scientists on their tail, attempting if only to catch them for the glory of being the ones to experiment on them?

Alice didn't know, but she did know that they'd have to find a ride, fast - before the world caught up to them and history repeated itself, only partially skewed. She couldn't let that happen - she couldn't let him die.


	2. Exhaustion

**A/N: Yay, another chapter, and yay, no reviewers. xD It's alright I suppose, though I do love reviews. Anyway, enjoy. I don't own anything.**

Images flashed in her mind, faster now, appearing and disappearing as her life flashed before her eyes. It was as though someone had pressed "rewind" on her life and now she could see it - every moment she'd lived, everything she'd been through. Carlos's face flashed in her mind, followed by Claire's. She momentarily saw the destruction of her prized motorcycle, and the time she'd spent alone in the desert. It was impossible to focus - and she had no desire to, for there was a specific time she yearned to go back to, and concentration may take her somewhere else.

It was strange, really. Everything that had occurred since she'd let Claire's convoy leave without her. She'd originally planned for the cure, yes, but whenever she was but an inch closer to the answer, it would evade her, and she'd been left helpless. It was then that the resident AI informed her of another formula that Umbrella had been working on. They'd deemed it "dangerous" and "unstable," not fully developed. Yet she may be able to make use of it, the AI had told her, if she were to fully develop it and allow her powers to continue evolving the way they were. Perhaps the superior strength her mind possessed would aid her, perhaps not. And now, she could only hope.

Seeing the plane crash, Nemesis, and the time she'd met Carlos sent a jolt through her. She remembered the time so clearly - neither dropping their weapon, both staring at each other, weapons clearly pointed. It had only taken Jill to stop them. Alice attempted to clear her mind, force her away from that memory, for it could only have bad results. More images entered her head, now those of what she'd labeled the "distant past." She'd have to pick the perfect time to concentrate, she knew.

And as that familiar face flashed before her eyes, the face she hadn't seen in so long, Alice knew.

* * *

The lights of the mansion soon began to fade into the background, and they had no choice but to stop. Matt's face clearly displayed his pain, despite having the antivirus administered. The day's events had left them both exhausted, both physically and emotionally. They'd have no other option than to find a place to rest. On the horizon, the sun was slowly setting, and the world around them was darkening quickly.

"We have to find a place to stop," Alice declared, looking at her companion with concern. As the light began to die faster, and for the first time since she'd begun her crusade to correct the past, she had no idea what to do. They were essentially surrounded. The mansion and Umbrella lay not too far behind them. To their left were woods - they could hardly sleep there - and to the right, Raccoon City. In front of them was unknown territory. They would have to stop at Raccoon City, but where would be safe? Undoubtedly, Umbrella would soon re-open the Hive in attempt to discover the events that had led to the deaths of Rain, of Kaplan, and the others that had never come back from the journey through the Hive.

Beside her, Matt nodded in agreement. He slowed to a dead stop beside her, struggling to catch his breath. His arm throbbed in pain but he ignored mentioning it. Exhaustion was setting in fast, after the day they'd spent in the Hive, attempting, if only, to get out alive. _At least he was alive,_ Matt thought tiredly. _Not like Rain. Not like Kaplan…_

He felt so bad for them. They'd almost made it out. In fact, they'd been so close to the surface that they could taste the fresh air coming through the tunnels and rushing by the train. So damn close. And then everything had fallen apart. Rain had died, proving that the virus could be fatal if the antivirus was administered too late, and Kaplan had been mercilessly killed by a mutated experiment. He should have known it would come to this, he should have known that Umbrella's experiments would have eventually been fatal. He should have known all of it before allowing his sister to go into the Hive itself. He should have known that she would never come out again.

_And if it wasn't for Alice, he never would have lived either. _Perhaps if he had known, then things would be different. But he knew nothing of the struggles and the things she'd been through to go back and keep him alive. He knew nothing of her new missions, her new struggles. He only knew that he was alive, that he had survived, that everything would be okay. _But it wouldn't be._

"Where are we going to go?" he finally asked, locking his gaze with hers. She looked as lost as he did, but there was a half smile on her face, as if she was attempting to reassure herself as well as encourage him. Suddenly, Alice turned, her eyes wide. Confused, he backed up a few steps and followed her gaze, but found nothing. Had she heard something?

"We have to go. Fast. They're behind us. I know they are." Alice grabbed his arm and veered towards Raccoon City, throwing a nervous glance over her shoulder. She knew that, in the end, Raccoon City would mean death, but she also knew that it would lead her back to the path she'd originally taken. Perhaps saving Matt would change things drastically - she knew that. Perhaps someone would die because of it. But she couldn't just run through open fields. Not when he was exhausted.

Not when she knew that Raccoon City meant Carlos. They'd have to lay low for a while, she knew. How long was a mystery to her - she hadn't had a sense of time the first time. The first time had been her first real experience with Umbrella - first-hand, up close and personal. They'd injected the T-Virus straight into her veins, providing her increased agility, strength, skill. The same blood pumped through her veins now, despite the difference in the occurrences, Alice was positive that her strength and otherwise still remained.

They broke into a sprint again, though she couldn't help but note his stumbling. It wasn't far to the main part of Raccoon City. They could stop at a hotel and rest for the night, doing their best to lay low and stay out of the way of Umbrella. It could be so easy, but she knew it wouldn't be. Something would go wrong somehow, and it would be another fight for their lives. Until then, however, she knew that their only hope was a place to rest before they collapsed.

The shining lights of Raccoon City became brighter and brighter as they walked, giving them more hope. Alice was still quite at loss of what to do - it wasn't the same as the first time, things were only more confusing than before - but she knew well enough the location of the nearest hotel. It couldn't be too far.

"Come on," she whispered to Matt, "not far now." He nodded and smiled, too tired to speak. They walked in silence for a few minutes before he noticed their direction, and his smile became more true. Just steps away from them was a hotel. With a newfound energy, he grinned at Alice and walked faster, eager to find a place to sleep. They entered the building quickly, both smiling now.

Their smiles faded quickly, however, when they were greeted with white coats and shining gloves. Alice pushed Matt behind her, silently signalling for him to flee.

It was happening again…

and there was nothing she could do to stop it.


	3. Happening Again

**A/N: A relatively short chapter I guess. But I hope you enjoy nonetheless. I'm having fun writing this, because it sort of follows the movies, and at the same time, it doesn't. Well... obviously. Considering Matt has lived, nothing is going to be exactly the same. But hey, he was one of my favorite characters in the first movie. :) They always seem to kill the amazing characters in this series.**

**Anyway, I don't own anything.**

"Leave the man. He's no use to us."

"But we have our orders. We need-

"We can take one of the others."

"But-"

"Just take the girl."

"Yes sir…"

* * *

White light greeted her, stinging her eyes. She was unused to the light after the time spent unconscious, unmoving. Confusion clouded her mind and she began to cough, each breath causing shudders to run up and down her body. Beside her, monitors began to beep rapidly as her heart rate accelerated and the confusion switched to panic. She was alone. Completely and utterly alone in a place so unfamiliar.

It was then that she noticed the wires and tubes. Attached to almost every part of her body, she found herself unable to move without removing them. Slowly, she raised her hand to the wires and began to pull them from her body. She was unable to resist the urge to cry out, and thus she did, as pain jolted through her body. Something wasn't right, she knew. She was totally alone in a room that should be swarmed with doctors or something of the kind. At least, the room looked somewhat like this was where they belonged.

Within minutes, she had the door opened, revealing a hallway just as empty as the room before. A robe hung loosely on a peg beside the door and she grabbed for it, putting it on as she made her way out the front door. The sight that greeted her shocked her for only a second, the streets ravaged and bloodstained. After a brief moment of shock, she drew a deep breath, and began to walk.

As she approached a police car, Alice couldn't help but smile as she grabbed a shotgun. It was happening again… but this time, Matt was alive.

* * *

Shots rang off as he ran, blood pounding in his ears. Shots fired meant people. Living, breathing people. His breathing was shallow and quick as he ran, feet pounding on the pavement. They were behind him, so close behind him. It struck fear in his heart, to be so alone in a world that only meant death. If only he could reach the people firing the guns. Perhaps then he'd be safe.

Perhaps then, he'd find a way to get to Alice. He needed to find her, to get her back. The past time he'd spent running. Constantly on the move, constantly searching, but with no avail. He'd nearly given up now as the fight became a fight for his life rather than a search for hers. Thoughts of her propelled him faster, and as the figures of people came into view, he almost cried out in relief. They were the ones firing the weapons. They were real people - real, living, breathing people.

"Don't shoot!" he screamed as three different guns were suddenly aimed towards him. "Don't shoot!"

But the guns fired anyway, and he could only hope that no bullet would hit him. He propelled himself even faster forward, not stopping until he reached the three men. They all looked at him in confusion but said nothing, only turning to aim at those that had followed him. "Retreat!" he heard someone yell. "We can't hold them off long."

"Where can we go?" another voice answered, and this time he recognized who spoke. It was a blonde man who looked as though he was not native to Raccoon City - Russian, perhaps? He noted that another of the three men was bleeding heavily from the arm, while the other two seemed unscathed. _Infected,_ he thought bitterly. _We have to kill this man or he'll kill us._

"There's a hospital nearby," one of the uninfected men announced. "Where that helicopter was headed. There might be something there we could use."

"That's suicide-" Matt attempted to interject, but was ignored. The other men nodded in approval at the suggestion of the hospital, and he found himself with no other choice but to follow them. The four slowly backed down one of the alleys, two of the men shooting in front and one behind. In the situation, he felt completely and utterly useless, having no weaponry to aid himself or the others.

They rounded a corner, the only sounds behind the gunshots and the occasional hiss of pain from the wounded man. They were greeted with the same scene on this new street, and he felt his heart stop. There was no getting out of this, was there?

* * *

Around her was nothing but remnants of earlier chaos. Alice shuddered at the destruction but was thankful for the stillness of the street. She would soon have to be on the move - but first, there was the problem of clothing. The simple robe she wore was hardly enough to sustain her for any amount of time, nor could it provide any protection. She was quite thankful to find multiple stores nearby the Umbrella facility, both containing the clothing she needed and ammunition she desired. Nevertheless, she gripped her shotgun tightly throughout the whole time that it took to find suitable clothing, dress, and replace her current weapon with other weaponry more suited to her tastes.

Quickly and quietly, she left the shop with one more glance around her. All seemed still for a city ravaged by something like the infection. She walked as quietly as she could down the street, searching for something - anything. It was clear that darkness was soon to fully envelope the city, and that would be far too dangerous for her. The cars she searched had no keys, and it frustrated her. Until… she saw it.

Standing out amongst the array of broken and abandoned cars, a motorcycle. With the key in the ignition. Alice almost couldn't believe her luck. This would be perfect. Not entirely practical, considering her situation, but nevertheless perfect. A grin found its way onto her face as she carefully boarded it. The city may be dead, but this time, she was ready.

Nothing was going to stop her.


End file.
